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35 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Define medical biotechnology |
the use of living cells and cell material to produce pharmaceutical and diagnostic products that help in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of human disease. |
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What are the 5 main groups of biotechnology applications? |
- Red - White - Grey - Green - Blue |
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What is red biotechnology? |
All the biotech uses connected to medicine. - vaccines - antibiotics - developing new drugs - regenerative therapies - genetic manipulation |
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What is white biotechnology? |
biotech related to industrial processes |
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What is grey biotechnology? |
biotech related to the environment, |
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What is green biotechnology? |
focused on agriculture. - creating new plant varieties - biofertilizsers - biopesticides - plant varieties resistant to pests |
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What is blue biotechnology? |
biotech related to the sea. |
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What is a biosensor? |
Biosensors are analytical devices which convert a biological response into an electrical signal. |
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What features must a successful biosensor possess? |
- the bio-recognition component must be highly specific for the purpose - the reaction should be independent of such physical parameters eg. pH, temp - the response should be accurate and precise, reproducible and linear - if the biosensor is to be used for invasive monitoring in clinical situations the probe must be tiny and biocompatible (non-toxic and non-antigenic) - the complete biosensor must be cheap, small and portable and be capable of being used by semi-skilled operators - there should be a market for the biosensor |
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What is a luciferase? |
An enzyme that catalyses a light-emitting reaction - bioluminescence |
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Where are luciferase found? |
- bacteria - algae - funghi - jellyfish - insects - shrimp |
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Give an example of bioluminescence? |
The lux gene in bacteria, have been isolated and used in the construction of bioreporters that emit blue/green light with maximum intensity at 490 nm. |
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Define glycosylation? |
The process whereby oligosaccharides are added to the protein during synthesis and processing through the ER and Golgis apparatus. |
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What is a glycoform? |
Any of several forms of glycoprotein with different saccharides attached, altering their structure. |
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What are the 2 types of carbohydrate linkages? |
N- and O- terminal glycosidic link |
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Describe N-glycans? |
- Most prevalent and widely studied - |
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What is a chimeric antibody? |
A chimeric antibody (cAb) is an antibody made by fusing the antigen binding region (variable domains of the heavy and light chains, VH and VL) from one species like a mouse, with the constant domain (effector region) from another species such as a rabbit. |
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What is the CDR? |
The hypervariable 'ends' of an antibody responsible for binding to a specific antigen. |
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What are the 2 types of bsAb? |
IgG-like Non-IgG like |
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Describe the BiTE, and its application? |
Bispecific T cell engaging antibody are of particular use in therapeutic applications. They are made of 2 different Fabs, where one binds to the target epitope and the other to the cytotoxic T cell. BiTEs do not have an Fc region. |
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Describe IgG-like mAb? |
These are a type of bsAbs, they are trifunctional; 2 different Fab regions and one Fc region. |
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Describe infliximab? |
Chimeric antibody TNF-alpha Autoimmune disease Ra, Chron's |
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How is a humanized antibody made? |
CDRs of the parental antibody, usually murine, are grafted into a human framework. So the hypervariable region is murine, but the Fc and majority of the Fv is human. |
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Describe Omalizumab? |
Humanised mAb that binds IgE used in therapy of severe allergic asthma. |
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How are bsAb constructed? |
Using V regions from more than one antibody, retaining the specificities of both so, the Ab can bind two different types of antigen simultaneously. |
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Describe Catumaxomab? |
BiTE in the case of pancreatic cancer. that binds tumour cell antigens EpCAM and to the T cell antigens (CD3 receptor) this activates the T cell and causes it to release cytotoxic granules, that perforate and kill the tumour cell in the vicinity. |
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What are intrabodies? |
Antibody fragments that are expressed within a designated intracellular target protein. |
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What do intrabodies do? |
Interrupt of modify the biological function of an intracellular target protein. |
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How are intrabodies contructed? |
Cloning the V regions of antibodies into viral vectors (retrovirus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus) that are used to infect cells allowing expression of antibody fragments intracellularly. |
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List 5 functions of intrabodies? |
- sequestration of the target protein from its normal subcellular compartment of action - mediating enzyme function through blocking or modulating the active site. - disrupting signal transduction pathways - selective degradation by ubiquitination - inducing apoptosis |
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What is a bacteriophage? |
A virus that infects a bacteria, by injecting its DNA (genetic information) into it. |
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Describe Panitumumab? |
First fully humanised antibody made in transgenic mice (XenoMouse strains), used against the epidermal growth factor receptor halting the cascade to treat relapsed CRC. |
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What 3 processes are triggered by innate immunity? |
- Phagocytosis - by C3b opsonising antigens. - Inflammation - attracting macrophages and neutrophils - Membrane attack - rupturing cell wall of bacteria. |
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What are the 3 pathways of complement activation? |
- Classical (antibodies) - Alternative (foreign/microbial surfaces) - Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) (bacterial sugars/lectins) |
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What do all 3 of the complement pathways produce? |
C3-convertase |